Numerous messaging techniques exist, including electronic mail systems (e-mail) and voice messaging (voice mail) systems. However, existing systems rely on the user being able to contact the messaging system service and interact with the service. For example, if a phone company supports voice messaging, the user is advised of the arrival of the voice message only when he or she checks with the relevant service to find out if such a voice message has been received.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,907 issued Jul. 18, 1995 to Hurstel et al describes a voice mail notification system. A message count, representing the number of pending voice mail messages for telecommunication service subscriber, is updated and the subscriber is automatically notified.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,947 issued Jul. 18, 2000 to Summer describes a wireless messaging system used to determine when link performance is inadequate for a live connection, so that the voice call can be rediverted to a voice message box. A wireless base unit conveys the accepted voice mail to a mobile handset using a store and forward protocol. The mobile handset stores the conveyed voice mail message for playback by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,466 issued Sep. 1, 1998 to Gallant et al describes a system in which a voice mail messaging center directs a call to a voice mailbox associated with a mobile communication device, to record a message when the mobile communication device is unable to receive the call. The voice mail messaging center optimizes communication from the messaging center to the mobile communication device by sending a first message indicator to the mobile communication device when a voice mail is recorded and the voice mailbox contains no messages.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,683 issued Jun. 16, 1998 to Mulford describes a method for automatic re-transmission of voice messages by a mobile communication unit. An identification code is continuously embedded in the voice mail message and, where this code matches that stored in the mobile communication unit, retransmitting the voice mail message after a predetermined period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,103 issued Nov. 19, 1996 to Foti describes a method of providing service information to subscribers in a cellular telecommunications network using the short message service. A subscriber in a cellular telephone network is provided with information via SMS, from a subscriber service profile. The service profile information is appended to a short message service (SMS) message which is transmitted from the mobile switching center to the mobile station.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,684,862 issued Nov. 4, 1997 to Finnigan describes a voice message store and forward service. This reference describes a method of conveying a voice message between an originating voice message system and a destination voice message system employing a different set of features. The described system is limited to providing the mechanism for storing and forwarding voice messages.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,160 issued Mar. 16, 1999 to Kanazaki describes a mechanism to temporarily store voice mail message from callers in correspondence with called mobile terminals when the called mobile terminals are in a “communication disabled” state. This reference also describes a method of notifying at least one of the called mobile terminals to receive voice mail messages stored in the message storing means that are destined for the called mobile terminals.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,962 issued Aug. 1, 2000 to Corriveu et al describes a method of handling SMS messages in a radio telecommunications network when an originating mobile station-based Short Message Entity (MS-SME) sends a SMS origination message while operating in a Mobile Switching (MSC) and then moves into a second MSC before the MS-SME receives a SMS acknowledgment message.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,281 issued Sep. 6, 2000 to Wells et al. describes a real-time SMS application messaging using a SMSC-linked server. This reference describes a method of operating a wireless mobile station of a type that is capable of bi-directional communication and which has a SMS center.
Despite various existing prior art systems, a need clearly exists for a messaging system which at least attempts to address one or more of the limitations of the prior art.